Molly Cahill

What course did you study for your undergraduate degree and why? 

Modern languages - French and Spanish

I always had a love for travelling and learning languages. I had previously lived in Switzerland for 3.5 years and found that I could pick up languages quite easily, so continuing to learn them at a more advanced level made sense.

Which postgraduate course have you chosen to study at Northumbria?

International Relations, Conflict, and Security.

What were your reasons for changing direction? 

My dissertation for my undergraduate course was on the topic of The Rise of Islamophobia in France, particularly as a result of the terrorist attacks in 2015.

I found that I enjoyed researching said topic and all things international relations and governmental security. For this reason, I decided to take that interest further and study it as a masters.

I also thought my background in languages with this master’s course would help me with future job opportunities.

What advice would you give somebody who is thinking of studying an entirely new subject for postgraduate study?

Be prepared for different teaching and marking techniques between departments.

Study as much as you can prior to your post grad to help you catch up with the students that already have prior knowledge on the course, as they most likely studied a similar subject undergrad.

Accept tutor help and do not feel embarrassed to ask questions that other people might already know.

How is your current course helping to prepare you for employment? 

With the different modules taken, it can help me chose which path of international relations I want to head down.